Spice Water Trail at M Block, Greater Kailash - I
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Food, Wine & NightLife
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SPICE WATER TRAIL, SOUTH INDIAN RESTAURANTS IN SOUTH DELHI, SOUTH INDIAN RESTAURANTS IN DELHI, CHICKEN CHETTINAD, KOKAM, KERALA CHICKEN FRY, VEGETABLE STEW, PRAWNS, PINEAPPLE HALWA, PAYASAM
Scribbled by:
Sonika
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On:
8th May, 2012
Till a few years back, only Idli, Dosa struck our minds when we heard of South Indian food. Only a few section of people had really explored places like Andhra Bhavan (the cheapest and the most authentic Andhra food you can find), Swagath (a taste of Coastal South Indian cuisine) and Gunpowder at Hauz Khas Village till off late. And even though, these restaurants have given Delhi a taste of true, authentic South Indian cuisine, there has been none that has faired as a complete package with super ambience, good food, strategic location and impeccable service.
Alchemist's Spice Water Trail at Greater Kailash - I, M Block Market is here to introduce the Southern coastal cuisine to the capital and to fill up that gap of the complete package. It serves
Located on the first floor, Spice Water Trail may be slightly hard to located, especially with the hustle bustle of the Greater Kailash Market. The walk up stairs may also not give you the best feeling about the place. But once you're at Spice Water Trail, you will be pleased by the warm ambience and the earthy feel of the restaurant. Chettinad Temple Columns divide the restaurant into two halves - one for proper dining and the other with low sofas and tables for a lounge-like experience. The decor is earthy, with jute chairs, and wooden tables. There's also another walk and while on the stairs, you will notice a real Snake Boat from Kerala hung at the wall. The entire space emanates authenticity. On the floor above are larger tables for small get togethers and parties, a smoking room and a see-through kitchen where you can see the cooks prepares Appams, Dosas and more.
Interesting concoctions
The drinks menu has a variety of cocktails and mocktails mentioned. The drinks were an interesting concoction of liquor and spices from the South. We tried the Kokam Martini (Rs. 325) and the Tamrind Jaccuzi (Rs. 325). While the Tamrind Jaccuzi was high on spice and tangy, the Kokam Martini was cool and refreshing. We were also told that the Rasams here are a must-try.
While we waited for the starters to arrive, we were served complimentary Papad and four South Indian chutneys - Coconut Chutney with a hint of Pumpkin (far different from the watery Chutney you elsewhere), Coriander Chutney, Tomato Chutney (with Tamarind), Raw Mango Chutney. The chutneys were absolutely delicious and flavourful. It was too hard to stop ourselves from hogging onto many Papads with the condiments so we could enjoy the rest of the meal too.
Warm, attentive service
I must mention, Gaurav - the manager at Spice Water Trail had an in-depth knowledge of his restaurant's servings and it was a delight to converse with him regarding the same. He introduced the place, the cuisine, and each dish with warmth and insight.
Gaurav mentions that Spice Water Trail has brought cooks from rural regions of South India to present home-cooked food and flavours here. Many dishes on the menu at Spice Water Trail are hard to find in restaurants or even homes in down South.
Even the team at Spice Water Trail serving us was pleasant and attentive.
Seafood and Meats prevail
The vegetarians option as expected, are lesser than the non-vegetarian and the seafood variety. But equal attention is paid to the cooking and flavours of these by the kitchen.
Starters
Our starters came soon enough. Podi Idlis (Rs. 160) were small Idlis tossed in Gunpowder. They Idlis were soft and good to have with the many Chutneys. The Kerala Chicken Fry/Kozhi Varathathu (Rs. 290) was a Kerala-style fried chicken with onions and fried coconut, something both my friend and I enjoyed. Andhra Prawn Fry/Royyala Veppudu (Rs. 600) which is a Dry Shrimp Fry. The menu reads - an integral part of Telangana Cuisine, this stir-fried Shrimps with yogurt and spices is sure to kick start your gastronomic journey down South.
Main Course
Konjam Pacha Mango Curry (Rs. 685) was Prawns cooked in a milky gravy with raw mangoes. It was rich, flavourful and very interesting. My friend mentioned that the prawns were cooked perfectly and were a delight to savour. Chicken Chettinad (Rs. 335) from Tamil Nadu is not as spicy as you may expect it to be but was good otherwise. The Vegetable Stew (Rs. 280) was wonderful and loved by the carnivores on my table too. We ordered Malabar Parantha, Appam and Neer Dosas to go with the main course - all of which were nicely cooked.
Sweet Somethings
Stuffed as we were, Gaurav (the manager at Spice Water Trail) ensured we tasted the desserts too. The
Aravana Payasam (Rs. 170) is a dry rice and jaggery combination. It is served with a scoop of ice cream. It was just rightly sweet and the tastes of jaggery were perfect. While my friend found the Aravana Payasam to be the perfect dessert for a wonderful meal, the star of the evening for me was the
Pineapple Halwa (Rs. 170) that followed. Slow cooked pineapple with coconut milk, it was an irresistible offering and was worth every bite!
Spice Water Trail is a complete package! With the vast menu and the interesting offerings - you will be spoilt for choice!
Spice Water Trail, M-24, Main Market, Greater Kailash - I, New Delhi, +91-9811674764.
Open from 12:30 PM to 12 AM on all days.